Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42768249›Full record

ArticleBreast cancer research and treatment2026

Equivalent survival in targeted axillary dissection compared to axillary lymph node dissection in patients with node positive breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Callie Hlavin, Zainab Balogun, Danielle R Lavage, Michael S Cowher, Kristin Lupinacci, Quratulain Sabih, Atilla Soran, Jennifer G Steiman, Priscilla F McAuliffe, Emilia J Diego

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Breast cancer research and treatment, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Callie HlavinDepartment of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. hlavinca@upmc.edu.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0825-1782
Zainab BalogunUniversity of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Danielle R LavageDepartment of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Michael S CowherDivision of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Kristin LupinacciDivision of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Quratulain SabihDivision of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Atilla SoranDivision of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Jennifer G SteimanDivision of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Priscilla F McAuliffeDivision of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Emilia J DiegoDivision of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

Funding

Research Training in Anesthesiology and Pain MedicineT32GM075770 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI YAN XU · 2007 to 2026
$4.8M
NIH HHS T32GM075770
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe role of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in node-positive breast cancer (N + BC) is evolving with opportunities to de-escalate surgery in those with complete axillary pathologic response. SLNB may lead to equivalent outcomes while avoiding the morbidity of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND).

methodsThis is a retrospective analysis of patients with N + BC who received NAC and targeted axillary dissection (TAD) with or without ALND from 2014 to 2021. Patients were categorized according to pathology of the previously positive radioactive seed marked lymph node into complete pathologic response (dSLN-) and persistent disease (dSLN+). We assessed the impact of axillary surgery on recurrence, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS).

resultsWe included 284 female patients with median follow-up of 36.3 months. 128 patients had dSLN-of which 13 (10.2%) had ALND and 115 (89.9%) had TAD. There were 156 dSLN+ patients: 107 (68.6%) ALND and 49 TAD. In both groups, TAD resulted in similar mortality (dSLN-: 15.4% vs. 8.9%, p=.309; dSLN+: 9.3% vs. 10.2%, p = 1.000), DFS (dSLN-:19.6 mos vs. 30.7 mos, p=.166; dSLN+: 30 mos vs. 37 mos, p=.650) and OS (dSLN-: 49.3 mos vs. 45.8 mos, p=.868; dSLN+: 36.4 months vs. 36.2 months, p=.982) compared to ALND.

conclusionFor patients with dSLN-, there was no difference in recurrence, mortality, DFS, or OS between ALND and TAD. While there was a higher frequency of recurrence in patients who had dSLN + and underwent ALND compared to TAD, there was no difference in DFS or OS. CLINICAL TRIALS NUMBER: Not applicable.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsLymph Node ExcisionNeoadjuvant TherapyAdultAgedAxillaDisease-Free SurvivalFemaleHumansLymphatic MetastasisLymph NodesMiddle AgedNeoplasm Recurrence, LocalPathologic Complete ResponseRetrospective StudiesSentinel Lymph Node BiopsyAxillary de-escalationBreast cancerNeoadjuvant therapyTargeted axillary dissection

Identifiers

PMID42768249

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.